Letters 4/26/12

Thursday

Apr 26, 2012 at 9:00 AM

Claremont Academy Re-organization Necessary I have always enjoyed reading Janice Harvey&rsquo;s articles in the Worcester Magazine. However I do have to disagree with her views on the re-organization of Main South&rsquo;s Claremont Academy. It was obviously a difficult decision for Superintendent Boone to make to ask teachers at Claremont to reapply for their jobs for the coming school year. However it is the educational future of the children at the school that that should be of paramount importance and Claremont is already dangerously close to failing to meet State mandated minimal educational standards.

Necessary change often comes with a cost and often involves difficult decisions. Some displacement of teachers will take place, however all of the contracted teachers who do not return to Claremont will be placed at other schools in the District.

Superintendent Boone should be commended for her leadership and for seeking to raise the educational expectations for students in Worcester&rsquo;s inner city schools. The plan for Claremont Academy is to appoint Principal Ricci Hall from the University Park Campus School to be the new Principal of Claremont Academy. As such a commitment is being made to establish a teaching team at Claremont that will embrace some of the educational and cultural practices that have brought success and national attention to UPCS. The bottom line is that children at UPCS are succeeding whilst children from the same neighborhood are struggling at Claremont Academy. Something needed to be done and Superintendent Boone has not shied away from her responsibility.

J. STEPHEN TEASDALE Executive Director, Main South CDC

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Online Comments

The UPCS-ification of Claremont Academy It always amazes me when school systems decide that changing the teachers is going to improve the learning of the children. It won&rsquo;t. The ONLY thing that will create a better school is holding the children responsible for the work. If schools are a place for children to learn to be productive adults, they are not going to learn that if they have no consequences. Public schools are mandated in how many children can be held back each year. It&rsquo;s a situation called Social Promotion. Social promotion says that it is emotionally damaging to hold children back. Last I checked, it was more emotionally damaging to tell children they don&rsquo;t have to do anything in order to get a passing grade. What is going to happen to these children when they are held responsible for the work they are asked to do in the real world? Hmmm.....

Submitted online by ELIZABETH SHORT

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A colony&rsquo;s collapse My father, Ken Warchol has devoted his time and efforts into this research for he has such a passion and love for honeybees. He wants anyone who has a love for bees to be aware of this growing problem. He is truly amazing.

Submitted online by KERI WARCHOL-LECRENSKI

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A colony&rsquo;s collapse Excellent article. This really does impact on everyone&rsquo;s life.

Submitted online by NATURE LOVER&nbsp;

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